Washing machine lint filter



Nov. 29, 1966 A. H. GERHARDT ETAL WASHING MACHINE LINT FILTER Filed June 15, 1964 IN VEN TORS wmss :1? Zia/(mar United States Patent 3,287,940 WASHING MACHINE LINT FILTER Andrew H. Gerhardt, Fort Pierce, Fla., and James J.

Schmidt, East Detroit, Mich., assignors to American Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Filed June 15, 1964, Ser. No. 375,111 9 Claims. (CI. 68-18) how easily it can actually be cleaned. The location, ease of assembly and use is also important as regards manufacturing costs.

It is an object of this invention to provide new and improved means for filtering wash water in a clothes washing machine.

It is an object of this invention to provide such new and improved wash water filtering means without interfering with or disturbing the normal washing operation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide wash water filtering means which are disposed to take advantage of the turbulent action of the wash water caused by the agitators in the washing machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide filter means which are receptive of the wash water therethrough without minimizing the turbulent action of the wash water.

Still further object of the present invention is to provide a filtering system for wash water which makes use of the turbulent action of the wash water caused by orbital agitator movement.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a filter which is of simple construction, is inexpensive to manufacture, and may be disposed in the body of an agitator or dasher directly in the path of the wash water which is agitated thereby. Means for directing the wash water through the filter are incorporated in'the construction of the agitator and contribute to the throughflow filtering action which is accomplished.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a clothes washing machine embodying features of my invention and showing a portion thereof broken away and in cross section;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view in cross section of my invention taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in cross section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 20 designates a clothes washing machine which'includes means for washing and spin drying clothing placed therein. The machine 20 includes a stationary tub 22 which is enclosed within a casing 24 that has a top wall 26 through which is formed an access opening 28 that is closed by a hinged lid 30. A

movable wash basket or receptacle assembly 32 is positioned within the tub 22. The basket assembly 32 is positioned to provide access thereto through the opening 28.

Within the basket is an agitator or dasher 34, and the wash water circulating and filtering device of this invention designated generally by the numeral 36.

The basket 32 and the agitator 34 are suitably connected together and driven by a drive mechanism 40 which is preferably substantially as set forth in Patent No. 2,709,908 to Alpheus W. Altorfer, Jr., et al. The drive mechanism 40 includes a crank arm end 42 that is secured to and forms a part of the vertically disposed drive shaft 44. The agitator or dasher 34 is carried on the crank arm end 42 of the drive shaft but does not rotate about the axis thereof. Instead, it travels in an orbital path about the axis of the drive shaft 44 and within the basket 32.

The orbital movement of the agitator or dasher 34 is best described in Patent No. 2,416,611 to J. A. Castricone.

During the washing operation, the agitator 34 is in motion but the basket 32 is held stationary. Upon the completion of the wash operation the basket is rotatably spun to centrifuge the wash water from the basket into the stationary tub 22 for disposal. During the spinning or centrifuging operation, the agitator 34 and the spinning basket 32 rotate together.

As will be subsequently shown the filtering device 36 is particularly efiective in a machine wherein the agitator moves in an orbital path.

The agitator 34 includes a somewhat conical hollow body 50 having a reduced upper end or neck portion 52, and outwardly stepped portions 54 which terminate in a depending skirt portion 56. The latter has its lower edge spaced a distance above the bottom of the basket 32. The body 54 is hollow and formed to include an axial passage 58 therethrough.

The agitator 34 is provided with radial paddles 60 that extend upward along the conical body 50 and which are circumferentially spaced apart. The paddles 60 terminate flush with the top of the upper end neck portion 52.

The body part 50 of the agitator is provided with perforations 62 between the paddles 60 and in the stepped portions 54 which serve as water jet orifices as a consequence of the orbital movement of the agitator. Such Water jets act on the clothes and cooperate with the agitator to obtain a toroidal washing action of the wash water in a most effective manner. It also provides a new and improved circulation system for filtering the wash water as will be described hereinafter.

lournaled upon the crank end 42 of the drive shaft is a head 70. It has a member 74 sleeved or telescoped over one end thereof and secured thereto by screws 72. The two are supported on a ball 76 seated on the upper end of the crank arm 42. The end 78 of the member 74 extends upwardly to receive and guide the upper end of the agitator thereon. Radial ribs or webs 82 form a neck ring in the neck section 52 of the agitator 34 for such purpose.

The agitator is telescoped over the head 70 and is detachably and operatively connected therewith by pins 84 carried by the head 70. The agitator rests on an annular shoulder 86 formed circumferentially about the head 70.

A flexible and yieldable boot 90 is connected between the mounting head 74) and the basket assembly 32. The upper end of the boot 90 is sleeved to and secured by suitable clamps to the head 70. The lower end is sleeved about and secured by suitable clamps to a flange 92 which is a part of the basket assembly 32. During the washing action the boot 90 prevents relative rotation of the head and agitator on the moving crank arm and assures orbital movement induced by the crankarm in traveling around the axis of the drive shaft 44.

The terminal end of the agitator neck 52 is open, as at 100, and formed to provide a depression or passageway 101 receptive of a filter member 102 therein. The filter The cap 110 is formed to retain the filter member 102 within the agitator and the agitator secured to the drive shaft.

The cap 110 is formed as an upended cup having a top wall 112, a circumferential side wall 114, and a center post 116 which is drilled and threaded to receive the stud 108. The center post 116 extends into the neck 52 of the agitator for engagement with the filter element 102 to secure it in place. Preferably, a resilient washer or spacer 118 is interposed between the filter element and the cap to assure a positive clamping action therebetween.

The circumferential side wall 114 of the cap 110 is formed to extend downward and radially outward a distance beyond the periphery of the neck section 52 of the agitator. The side wall skirt 114 terminates a distance below the opening 100 in the agitator and forms an annular passageway 120 providing communication between the basket 32 and a chamber 122 provided in the cap. The

chamber 122 is formed by the walls of the cap and is in open communication with the agitator opening 100.

The radial paddles 60, mentioned as extending and terminating flush with the terminal end of the neck 52, have reduced sections 124 that extend upwardly into the pas sageway 120.

During the washing operation the fins 60 of the agitator, moving in an orbital path, will cause wash water to be moved upwardly adjacent the agitator body 50. The fins direct and carry the fluid upwardly into the passageway 120 in the cap 110 from where it flows into the chamber 122 and is deflected downwardly through the opening 100 and filter element 102 and on into the hollow or passage 58 formed in the agitator. It is thereafter returned as water jets through the perforations 62 into the wash basket.

Some wash water is pumped upwardly by the agitator inside the mid-section from around the end of the skirt 56. It will also be noted that the entrance of the passageway 120 is just slightly below the static water level 130 in the washer. This allows both the water below the surface and the surface water to be splashed through the filter for the extraction of lint and other foreign matter.

Jumping ahead in our discussion for a moment, when the washing operation is over, and the agitator is stopped, an overflow rinse fills the clothes basket 32 and carries ofl suds over the top edge or rim of the basket into the stationary outer tub 22. Since this overflow fill raises the water level above the inlet 100 it could cause undesirable cleaning of the filter by washing the trapped lint and other foreign matter back into the basket. Furthermore, after the rinse cycle the agitator is restarted for a rinse agitation cycle and as the agitator in its non-rotary orbital movement accelerates to normal speed it may centrifuge the filtered matter outwardly and also tend to return it to the basket.

Fluid bafliing means 140 are provided in the neck of the agitator 34 to prevent the matter which has been separated out from the wash water from being returned. Such means are shown as provided in combination with the agitator retaining screw cap 110. It will be appreciated that such bafile means may be provided as an integral part of the cap 110 by being molded therewith. Other innovations in this regard also come to mind.

The baflie means 140 includes an annular ring 142 disposed concentrically about the center post 116 of the cap and spaced from the end thereof. It also includes an annular flange 144 provided on the end of the center post. Together the two form a circuitous labyrinth type passage between the chamber area 122' in the cap and the filter 102 in the agitator.

The cap is formed to include radially disposed ribs 146 eminating from the center post 116 and which sup port the annular ring 142 thereon. The annular ring is supported for engagement with the terminal end of the agitator and to overlap and lie within the fluid passage. opening 100. Although not shown, it will be appreciated that the annular baflie member could fit in the end of the agitator and be movable up and down as the cap is screwed down and loosened.

The inner diameter of the annular baflle ring 142 and the outer diameter of the annular flange 144 on the bottom of the center post are matched, as shown, so that 1 straight axial flow therebetween is not possible. Instead, the diverted flow common to a baflle is required. Thus the filtered material is entrapped in the baffle area and cannot be washed back into the wash water tub.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has i been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modi ifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the api pended claims. We claim:

1. Filter means for use with agitator type washing machines, and comprising:

an agitator formed to include a vertically disposed holnear the upper terminal end thereof and between said wash water receptive and emitting openings, means for driving said agitator for circulating wash water through said openings and said filter member therebetween, and deflector means provided on the upper disposed end of said agitator and extending over said receptive opening for directing wash water received thereby into the receptive opening provided in the terminal end of said agitator,

said deflector means being provided in spaced relation vertically over the terminal end of said agitator and extending radially outward and downward in concentric spaced relation to the peripheral surface of said agitator at said terminal end.

2. A washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids,

an agitator having a hollow body portion extendingv about a vertical axis and paddles extending substantially radially outwardly of said hollow body portion and longitudinally of said agitator,

said agitator having an inlet into said hollow portion and an outlet from said hollow portion spaced a vertical distance from said inlet,

means for actuating said agitator for continuously moving said fluids for entry into said inlet,

filter means positioned within said hollow portion be-:

tween said inlet and said outlet,

and baflie means interposed between said inlet and said i filter means to prevent filtered matter collected by said filter means from passing outwardly through said inlet.

3. A washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids,

an agitator formed to include a hollow body portion extending about a vertical axis and paddles extending substantially radially outwardly of said hollow body portion and longitudinally of said agitator,

said agitator having a vertical inlet into said hollow portion and a plurality of horizontal outlets from said hollow portion,

filter means within said hollow portion being between said inlet and said outlets,

means for actuating said agitator for continuously moving said fluids upwardly laterally to said inlet,

and deflector means being positioned outwardly over said vertical inlet to redirect said upwardly moving fluids into said inlet.

4. A washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids,

an agitator having a hollow body portion extending about a vertical axis and paddles extending substantially radially outwardly of said hollow body portion and longitudinally of said agitator,

said agitator having a vertical inlet into said hollow portion and a plurality of horizontal outlets from said hollow portion,

filter means within said hollow portion being between said inlet and said outlets,

means for actuating said agitator for continuously moving said fluids upwards laterally to said inlet,

deflector means being positioned to redirect said upwardly moving fluids into said inlet,

and lbaflle means interposed between said inlet and said filter means to prevent filtered matter collected by said filter means from passing outwardly through said inlet.

5. A washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids,

an agitator having a hollow body portion extending about a vertical axis and paddles extending substantially radially outwardly of said hollow body portion and longitudinally of said agitator,

said body portion having an axially extending passagesaid passageway having a vertical inlet above the static level of wash fluid within said basket and a plurality of horizontally extending outlets substantially below the static level of the wash fluid,

a deflector in spaced relation to said inlet,

means for actuating said agitator for continuously moving said fluids upwardly towards and against said deflector,

said deflector being arranged to redirect the fluids into said inlet,

filter means within said passageway being between said inlet and said outlets,

and baffle means within said passageway being between said inlet and said filter means to prevent filtered matter collected by said filter means from passing outwardly through said inlet.

6. A washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids,

an agitator having a hollow body portion extending about a vertical axis with opposed inlets communicating with the hollow portion and a plurality of outlets leading from said hollow portion being intermediate said inlets,

a first of said inlets being above the static level of the wash fluid within said basket and the second inlet being below the static level of the wash fluid,

a deflector overlying said first inlet,

means for actuating said agitator for continuously moving said fluids to enter said second inlet for ejection as water jets through said outlets and for continuously moving said fluids upwardly towards and against said deflector for deflection into said first inlet for conduction to and intermixing with the fluid entering from said second inlet,

filter means within the hollow body portion of said agitator being between said first inlet and said outlet,

and baflie means within the hollow body portion of said agitator being between said inlet and said filter means and being arranged to prevent filtered matter collected by said filter means from passing outwardly through said first inlet.

7. A washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids,

an agitator having a body portion extending about a vertical axis and paddles extending substantially 'redially outwardly of said body portion and longitudinally of said agitator,

said body portion being hollowed to provide an axially extended passageway,

said passageway having a vertical inlet above the static level of fluid in said basket and outlets below the static level of fluid in said basket,

an inverted cup shaped deflector carried by said agitator,

said deflector having a portion thereof overlying in spaced relation said inlet and a portion thereof extending downwardly in spaced concentric relation to said body portion and terminating below the static level of fluid in said basket,

said paddles having extensions extending upwardly between said body portion and said downwardly extended portion of said deflector.

means for actuating said agitator to cause said paddles to continuously move said fluids into said inverted cup shaped deflector for downward deflection into said inlet, a

and filter means in said passageway being between said inlet and said outlets.

8. YA washing machine having a basket adapted to contain fluids,

an agitator having a body portion extending about a vertical axis and paddles extending substantially radially outwardly of said body portion and longitudinally of said agitator,

said body portion being hollowed to provide an axially extended passageway,

said passageway having a vertical inlet above the static level of fluid in said basket and outlets below the static level of fluid in said basket,

an inverted cup shaped deflector carried by said agitator,

said deflector having a portion thereof overlying in spaced relation said inlet and a portion thereof extending downwardly in spaced concentric relation to said body portion and terminating below the static level of fluid in said basket,

said paddles having extensions extending upwardly between said body portion and said downwardly extended portion of said deflector,

means for actuating said agitator to cause said paddles to continuously move said fluids into said inverted cup shaped deflector for downward deflection into said inlet,

and filter means in said passageway being between said inlet and said outlets,

and bafile means in said passageway being between said inlet and said outlets, to prevent filtered mattercollected by said filter means from passing outwardly through said inlet.

' 9. A lint filter for agitator type clothes washing machines, and comprising;

an agitator for use in a clothes and wash water receptive basket of a clothes washing machine,

said agitator including a centrally disposed and vertically oriented hollow body portion open at the upper end for receiving wash water therein and having a plurality of outlet openings provided through the side walls thereof for the passage of wash water therethrough,

means provided within said hollow agitator body portion for the support thereof upon a drive spindle received through the'lower end thereof,

means engaging the upper end of said agitator for retaining said agitator engaged to said drive spindle,

a lint filter received in the open upper end of said hollow agitator body portion and extended thereacross,

said agitator retaining means including a central part for engaging and seating said lint filter in said hollow and passage means defined by the peripheral flange of agitator body portion, said inverted cup, the upper end of said agitator and radially disposed water agitating paddles provided on said agitator paddles, and provided through said inthe external surface of said agitator and extending to verted cup and past said bafile plates, for the unidirecthe open upper end thereof, 5 tional flow of wash water through the open end of said agitator retaining and lint filter seating means insaid agitator and the lint filter therein.

eluding an inverted cup member providing a downwardly directed peripheral flange in concentric spaced References Cited y the Examine! relation about the open upper end of said agitator UNITED STATES PATENTS and extending below the open upper end of said agitator and encompassing the terminal ends of said water 10 2498894 2/1950 agitating paddles therewithin,

said inverted cup member including axially spaced and concentrically overlapping baifie plates received in the open upper end of said agitator and in spaced re- 15 IRVING BUNEVICH Primary Examiner lation over said lint filter,

McCormick et a]. 6818.1 X

2,642,733 6/1953 McCormick et a1. 6818.1 X 2,916,900 12/1959 Gerhardt et al. 68-18.1 1 3,027,742 4/1962 Nowicki 6818.1 

1. FILTER MEANS FOR USE WITH AGITATOR TYPE WASHING MACHINES, AND COMPRISING: AN AGITATOR FORMED TO INCLUDE A VERTICALLY DISPOSED HOLLOW BODY PORTION, A WASH WATER RECEPTIVE OPENING PROVIDED THROUGH THE UPPER DISPOSED TERMINAL AND OF SAID HOLLOW BODY PORTION AND ABOVE T HE STATIC LEVEL OF WASH WATER IN WHICH OPERATED, WASH WATER EMITTING OPENINGS PROVIDED BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID HOLLOW BODY PORTION, A FILTER MEMBER PROVIDED IN SAID HOLLOW BODY PORTION, NEAR THE UPPER TERMINAL END THEREOF AND BETWEEN SAID WASH WATER RECEPTIVE AND EMITTING OPENINGS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID AGITATOR FOR CIRCULATING WASH WATER THROUGH SAID OPENINGS AND SAID FILTER MEMBER THEREBETWEEN, AND DEFLECTOR MEANS PROVIDED ON THE UPPER DISPOSED END OF SAID AGITATOR AND EXTENDING OVER SAID RECEPTIVE OPENING FOR DIRECTING WASH WATER RECEIVED THEREBY INTO THE RECEPTIVE OPENING PROVIDED IN THE TERMINAL END OF SAID AGITATOR, SAID DEFLECTOR MEANS BEING PROVIDED IN SPACED RELATION VERTICALLY OVER THE TERMINAL END OF SAID AGITATOR AND EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD AND DOWNWARD IN CONCENTRIC SPACED RELATION TO THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID AGITATOR AT SAID TERMINAL END. 